Tonight, I went and hung out at the city council meeting in Ringgold. To no one’s shock, they voted unanimously to approve defining short term rentals. The most resounding thing to me was the reason for this was to define it so they knew how to tax it. These folks that are renting out rooms or their homes to make extra income will very likely be squashed by taxes and red tape. I intend on staying part of the discussion, but I feel like property owners took a huge loss tonight in their property rights.

I will say, I was grateful to be allowed to speak even though I am not a citizen and I am hopeful they will let me continue to be part of the discussion moving forward when it comes to the terminology used defining these short term rentals.

Local government is incredibly important. While I may be running for U.S Congress, my heart has been and will continue to be with the people in the communities around here. Citizens have to be empowered to stand up to fight corruption because it happens on all levels. I hope to continue to be a support for the folks that are trying to stand up for our rights at all levels of the government.